Improve Your CV

What should be included in the one-page summary CV?

2008-10-03T01:15:00.000-07:00

• Personal Details – Similar to The Targeted CV, Functional CV, and Combined CV you should include relevant personal details including: Your Full Name, Contact Address, E-mail address, Landline Telephone Number, Mobile Phone Number.

• Work Experience – Start with your most recent job first and just summarise your responsibilities. If you do not have any work experience focus on skills and experiences you can bring to the job.

• Key Skills - Next you should have a heading called Key Skills and bullet point the skills and attributes you have that most closely match the job description or vacancy you are applying for.

• Education and Qualifications - Educational history and professional qualifications should follow under this title. Keep this brief and do not add too much detail but include all relevant educational qualifications and training courses you have attended.

• Interests – If you have space, include relevant interests, giving sufficient detail to provide evidence of relevant skills for the job.

• References – Write “references available on request” (you should have the names of two relevant contacts that can be used as referees, usually one work and one personal).

If you have too much information to put on a One Page Summary why not use a Chronological, Functional or Combined CV format?

www.ImproveYourCV.co.uk - Career and Job Search Information Website. Comprehensive CV, Resume, Interview and Career Advice.

What is a Targeted CV? When Should I use a Targeted CV?

2008-09-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

A Targeted CV is appropriate when you are ‘targeting’ one specific type of job. It is usually a combination of a Functional CV and a Chronological CV, however, it is usually only one A4 page long. Emphasis should be placed on skills and experiences relating to the specific job you are applying for (the content should be clear and concise but adaptable to every different job application).

What to Include in your Targeted CV

• Personal Profile – Similar to The Chronological CV and Functional CV, start off your Targeted CV with a short personal paragraph. You should include the relevant skills and competencies that relate to the job you are ‘targeting’.
• Key Skills - Next you should have a heading called Key Skills and bullet point the skills and attributes you have that most closely match the job description or vacancy you are applying for.
• Achievements - Include here anything which may be relevant to your application, including educational achievements and voluntary work.
• Career History - This should be in summary form showing dates, name of employment and job description.
• Education and Qualifications - Educational history and professional qualifications should follow under this title. Keep this brief and do not add too much detail but include all relevant educational qualifications and training courses you have attended.

www.ImproveYourCV.co.uk - Career and Job Search Information Website. Comprehensive CV, Resume, Interview and Career Advice.

What is a Functional CV?

2008-09-26T06:16:00.000-07:00

As you are most probably aware there are differnt ways in which to write a CV. One type of CV Styles is the Functional CV.

The Functional CV offers greater flexibility on how you present yourself than the more traditional Chronological CV or Targeted CV. It is usually 2 A4 pages long and allows you to emphasise the transferable skills that you have developed and used in the past. Highlight your skills, competencies and expertise under various functional headings, rather than providing a chronological overview of your work history.

The Functional CV showcases your skills and competencies grouped beneath subheadings, starting with the most important at the top. Under each one you can provide further details of specific experience. The advantage of the Functional CV is that you can focus on your strengths without having to highlight relative inexperience or periods of unemployment.

This style can be used when sending your CV on a speculative basis to prospective employers, as it gives a brief overview of the range of your skills, rather than simply emphasising what you have done in your most recent position. The employer who is looking for applicants with particular skills and capabilities will find the Functional CV more helpful than the Chronological CV.

Advantages of Using a Functional CV:

• You want to highlight skills and strengths rather than specific jobs.
• Your have had a number of jobs, in different industries.
• You want to change careers and therefore your present job may be of no relevance to any future roles.
• You are returning back to work after a break.
• Most of your work experience has been on a temporary basis.

Disadvantages of Using a Functional CV:

• A Functional CV will not give you the opportunity to highlight career progression. Prospective Employers may think you are trying to hide gaps in your employment history. If you wish to show career progression, you should choose a Chronological CV.
• If you do not have much work experience, you may find it difficult to emphasis a number of different skills and achievements.
• Think carefully before adopting the Functional CV if you are applying for a specific job as it may not be detailed enough.

www.ImproveYourCV.co.uk - Career and Job Search Information Website. Comprehensive CV, Resume, Interview and Career Advice.

What is a Chronological CV?

2008-09-16T02:14:00.000-07:00

There are a number of different types of CV formats including:

• Chronological CV
• Functional CV
• Combination CV
• Targeted CV

The Chronological CV (or Performance CV as it is sometimes known) is one of the most common and effective CV styles that job seekers use.

Unlike the Functional CV and Targeted CV your career history should be near the top of the CV in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job. This is very helpful for a prospective employer as usually they have very little time to read a CV and it gives them the chance to see your most recent accomplishments and work experience first.

When using a Chronological CV format, job titles, organisation names and dates should be strongly highlighted. Key responsibilities and achievements should then be described in detail under each job title. Similarly to the Functional CV, bullet points should be used to make it easy for a prospective employer to scan the CV. The format should be as follows:

• Personal Profile
• Employment History
• Skills
• Education and Qualifications
• Interests
• References

Every time you apply for a job you should slightly amend your CV to make it more specific. Ideally, a Chronological CV should be no longer than two A4 pages.

www.ImproveYourCV.co.uk - Career and Job Search Information Website. Comprehensive CV, Resume, Interview and Career Advice.

What is a Curriculum Vitae (CV)?

2008-09-08T03:45:00.000-07:00

CV is short for the Latin term "curriculum vitae" which means "the story or course of your life". A CV or Resume is a document briefly outlining your education, skills and experiences. Its main objective is to get you an interview where you will have an opportunity to sell yourself further. For more information visit www.ImproveYourCV.co.uk

Job seekers should use a CV as a marketing tool, listing the benefits an employer would gain by employing them. Think of it as an advert with you being the product. The résumé or CV gives a potential employer their first impression of a job seeker, and therefore it is worth spending plenty of time perfecting it.

Before you sit down and write your CV, give a thought about what an employer would like to read. Often, employers receive a large number of applicants to job vacancies so it is very important you make your CV stand out from the crowd. Employers usually take under 20 seconds to read a CV so take time to consider what to include and how to present this information.

There are several types of CVs. To find out more about each CV style please click on the links below:

• Chronological CV
• Functional CV
• Combination CV
• Targeted CV

Visit our site for further information about The Best CV layout, CV Weaknesses and How to Overcome weaknesses in your CV.

www.ImproveYourCV.co.uk - Career and Job Search Information Website. Comprehensive CV, Resume, Interview and Career Advice.

www.ImproveYourCV.co.uk

2008-09-08T03:28:00.000-07:00

Improve Your Career Prospects Today! Search http://www.improveyourcv.co.uk/ for Resume & CV Writing Help, Example CVs, Interview Tips and Job Search Advice.

We are in the process of completeing this website and will upload information as soon as possible. You can find out information on:

CVs

Job Interviews

Job Correspondence e.g. references, cover letters

www.ImproveYourCV.co.uk - Career and Job Search Information Website. Comprehensive CV, Resume, Interview and Career Advice.